text:
Swanky car company Tesla recently engaged in some very public barb-trading with The New York Times over a test drive of the slick, all-electric sports car Model S. In light of that, the automaker's CEO told Bloomberg TV the company has lost "a few hundred" orders resulting from what it views as the Times' bad reporting.
"We did actually get a lot of cancellations as a result of The New York Times article. It probably affected us to the tune of tens of millions, to the order of $100 million, so it's not trivial," Elon Musk, the chief executive, said on Monday.
"I would say that refers more to the valuation of the company. It wasn't as though there were 1,000 cancellations just due to The New York Times article. There were probably a few hundred."
The Times' piece on February 10, "Stalled out on Tesla's Electric Highway," soon drew the ire of CEO Elon Musk. Musk lambasted the article, calling it "fake" and detailing his accusations on the company's blog. The NYT reporter has since responded with a point-by-point rebuttal.
"The thing I really thought was wrong is that we are looking at the data from the test drive and it does not correlate at all to the article that was written," Musk added in the Bloomberg TV interview.
"The result was that the car ran out of range. There was this sad shot of our car on a flatbed as though that was the only outcome possible for such a drive and that's just not true. And lots of people said that it does not matter if you're right or wrong, you do not battle the New York Times. To hell with that. I would rather tell the truth and suffer the consequences even if they are negative. I do not think it should be the end of his career or that he should be fired, but I do think that he fudged an article."
For what it's worth, Dan Edmunds, the head of vehicle testing for the car reviews site Edmunds—is also having trouble with the Model S' on-board touchscreen.


text:
Monday, November 7, 2011
Tom Ka Soup
63 comments:
- AnonymousNovember 7, 2011 at 7:50 PM
That looks delicious Steve! We all have strep throat around here so I'm going to give it a try since you must be feeling better. Soup is my favorite ... I'm always looking for good new recipes.ReplyDelete
And, I am so excited to make the carrot flowers!
Feel better. :)
We are going to love this soup. I can almost smell the ginger. Great recipe Steve.ReplyDelete
YUM! That looks so darn good! Beautiful photos too. I love the carrot flowers. So cute!ReplyDelete
Yum!! What nice friends to nurture you with this yummy soup! It's on my radar to cook on my new stove!ReplyDelete
It looks delicious!ReplyDelete
Oh that looks so lovely...I must try that sometime. You are a very neat cook...loving the veggies lined up and pretty carrots.ReplyDelete
Mmmmm. Ginger! My fave, I put it in everything! :)ReplyDelete
Hope you get to feeling better.
Mmmm. I had my first bowl of Tom Ka Gai when we moved to the Bay Area, but haven't had it since. This is totally the perfect sick soup. Do I remember that it was spicy? I would never, ever think to make it from scratch, but this looks pretty easy.ReplyDelete
It's not usually spicy but some of the recipes called for Thai chiles so I went to a big squirt of sriracha and it was great!
Did I know you could cook? I knew you baked.ReplyDelete
You're right about virtual soup.
It looks and tastes delicious. And spicy. Yum.
xo Jane
This is my most favorite soup of all time. A must every time I go to the Thai Restaurant. Darn...now I want to go get some take out right now. I like tofu in mine. I didn't know it had chicken stock in it. I guess I should have assumed. I thought I was eating all vegetarian when I ate it. Poo. I need to make this at home. My cousin, Shelly and I are mad for Thai. It's our absolute favorite. We never tire of it. She is my Thai Buffet eating buddy and with her being sick. We rarely get to do it any more. Thanks for the recipe!ReplyDelete
I am making this tomorrow! I love all your photos, but you had me at carrot flowers...how have I never done this before? Is it something you grew up with? I was just wondering.ReplyDelete
I had to pin your carrot flowers to my "Fun Food/drink" Board!ReplyDelete
oh i love this soup. i order it at our favorite thai place with tofu. they call it tom ka tofu. it is delicious! i'm so impressed with your knife skills.ReplyDelete
i may just have to try this. your fake egg salad is still my favorite.
- AnonymousNovember 7, 2011 at 9:27 PM
this looks delicious. I am going to have to try this.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 7, 2011 at 10:45 PM
What great friends! Love the carrot flowers!ReplyDelete
Hope you're feeling better.
xo E + J
Tom Ka is my favorite soup!! You have good friends...ReplyDelete
Lovely photos!!
Glad you are feeling better.
hope you are feeling better Steve! I love soup and this looks and sounds wonderful. I must say though, I've never in my life had only 7 pieces of cilantro;)... maybe 7 per bite! what a beautiful soup!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 8, 2011 at 12:08 AM
DO you feel better?ReplyDelete
Tell you what, any time somebody shows up at my door with food I always feel better.
Oh I will have to order that~I have never had it before (and I lived in Thailand for 3 years as a kid)!ReplyDelete
The soup looks delicious. You sure are a neat cook. Carrot flowers! Who knew?ReplyDelete
Glad you're on the mend.
The order in your life leaves me a tad breathless with envy particularly your delightful vignette of veges. Your images sent me rushing to the grocer for tomorrow night's dinner.ReplyDelete
Looks delicious and your presentation is gorgeous! I have a ton of oyster sauce left but no fish sauce. I wonder if I could use that instead.ReplyDelete
Nourishing, tasty, and bites of pure health!ReplyDelete
OK...that looks yummy...but you might have too much time on your hands if you A. Make carrot slices into flowers.....or B. You may need meds for OCD if everything needs to be pretty.....cause that picture with all the cut up veggies is a masterpiece :)ReplyDelete
By the way...WTH is Tom Ka anyway...I must live a sheltered life.....poor me.ReplyDelete
Oh my.... Yum! I have a ton of lemongrass I need to use before the first frost. Sounds like the perfect venue.ReplyDelete
i may not get around to making this soup but wanted to share the first thought that came to mind when i opened this post......"he always has original content and it is always interesting and diverse". just wanted to pass that onReplyDelete
Tom Ka is my all time favorite. You veggie version looks super healthy (and good for my diet.) And I must say the most beautiful soup photo I've seen. :) Hope you're feeling better.ReplyDelete
I can't decide if you should be a decorator, a photographer or a cook. Hmmm. Anyway, that looks incredible and is a must-try for me. Can't believe you're still not feeling well. Hope tomorrow is better!ReplyDelete
OMG! You even make SOUP look stylish and perfect!ReplyDelete
My soup doesn't look like that when I open up the can! :(
:) - Cindi
Oh....ELISH! with a capital D!ReplyDelete
Was this post supposed to make me want to jump on a plane and go to Thailand? I guess I don't have to since I have this great recipe. ;) I love how you even make the ingredients look stylish and beautiful! YUM....ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 9, 2011 at 9:05 AM
This looks delicious!!!ReplyDelete
This looks delicious--I am going to try it this weekend. Keep the recipes coming. I still plan to try those bergamot martinis - maybe tonight
Oh yum yum yum! My mouth is watering just looking at it! It's the perfect winter dish!ReplyDelete
OK...I looks really good...but I'm so very concerned for you...did you actually count out the number of veggies and arrange them as a piece of art for that photo and then cut those carrots into flowers...I don't know whether to be impressed or suggest you seek professional help!ReplyDelete
Steve, I am SO impressed; you are sick and yet you summon up the energy to turn carrots into flowers! The soup looks delicious. I've got a stinking cold but I'm going to make some tomorrow. (And my carrots will never look dull again!)ReplyDelete
Hope you're feeling better now.
I love that you took the time to make carrot flowers - and to take photos with your left hand just for little old us! I have to say it looks delicious.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2011 at 11:12 AM
I have used several recipes trying to match the restaurant quality that I crave, and they always come out tasting a little crazy. I can't wait to try this version, because it seems so simple and the pictures look spot on to what you find in a restaurant - thanks!ReplyDelete
I love that you posted this! This is mu husband's favorite soup. If I can somehow manage to pull this off, I think I'll just have to win the wife of the year award. :) Wow, this looks delicious. Well done!ReplyDelete
I love this soup...thanks for the recipe. Those carrot flowers are so cute. We took our kids to Thailand a while ago and watching the chefs carve fruits and vegetables was one of their favorite memories.ReplyDelete
And you cook?ReplyDelete
Oh dear.
- AnonymousJuly 5, 2012 at 10:32 PM
I made this for my mom and brother tonight, following your recipe!ReplyDelete
They loved it! Thank you!
Oh my - that looks incredibly delish!! Have to make your recipe - thanks for sharing it.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 24, 2012 at 5:45 AM
i made it twice and it was amazing!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 14, 2012 at 6:27 PM
Came out great, doubled the recipe as the cold season approaches to freeze for when I have the sniffles. I made pad thai earlier so I had all the ingredients already. Fast to make, cheap to buy and delicious!ReplyDelete
Looks pretty great - I haven't seen that before at a thai restaurant, so I may have to ask next time I'm at one.ReplyDelete
Pho is my favorite, but I always like trying something new.
ive had this at a restaurant, so yummy. thanks!ReplyDelete
do you have to use the fish sauce??? Sounds gross to me. HAHA
Amazing!Looks Great Thai food is my favoriteReplyDelete
Made this today and it was AMAZING! Thank you for sharing!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 23, 2013 at 3:00 AM
The only thing I can think of that is missing from the soup is bay leaf. I always pick it out before I eat my soup, other than that can't wait to try this resipe out. Been making many drives to my favorite Thai spot for this soup everytime I have a hint of the sniffles.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 31, 2013 at 3:36 PM
I have never had fish sauce. Doesn't even sound good. What exactly is it and is it necessary?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 17, 2013 at 11:32 AM
Looks great! How many servings?ReplyDelete
This looks absolutely mouthwatering! Hope to try it out this week! Thanks for the step by step pics & recipe :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 25, 2013 at 6:19 PM
Thanks so much for the recipe! I loved it so much I featured it! :ReplyDelete
- abbycookDecember 16, 2013 at 11:18 PM
I make this all the time. your recipe rocks!ReplyDelete
I just made a double batch of this soup for the first time, and it's SOOOOOO good! Thanks for the recipe!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 29, 2014 at 12:32 PM
Kha is galangal, not ginger. Otherwise, this recipe sounds good!! And the carrot flowers are too cute!!ReplyDelete
And for the few commenters that have asked about fish sauce, it's made from anchovy, salt, and water. It provides the umami flavor to the soup. I would never substitute for it, but you could swap out soy or tamari sauce. Just make sure you taste as you season. Also, another person commented that the soup is missing bay leaves. Bay is not used in Thai cooking. Perhaps they confused kaffir leaf for bay?Replies
I agree about the galangal but I thought most people would have a tough time finding it so I used ginger to make it more accessible. I think you're right about the kaffir/bay confusion.Delete
I made this soup today and it was way too sour for me and I only uses one lime.ReplyDelete
Hi. This might sound like a silly question. But I love soup and see so many recipes using coconut milk. I am afraid to try them because the idea of a sweet soup turns me off. Does the coconut milk make it sweet??ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 20, 2017 at 3:08 PM
This was excellent. I only used juice from 1/2 lime and 1 tsp sriracha and it was sooo good!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Republican budget guru Paul Ryan has a plan to end Medicare as we know it to be replaced with a series of less-generous vouchers. The House of Representatives has voted to implement this plan. The political side of this has been written about a lot, and I am not going to rehash what has been better covered elsewhere. I do want to address what seems to be a persistent fallacy or delusion which is held to a near-religious level by many free-market conservatives: The idea that market economics can have an impact on health care costs.
This concept has underpinned every major Republican health care plan since, well, since Mitt Romney's proto-ObamaCare reforms. The idea is that consumers, when they have "skin in the game," and when they are empowered and incentivized to see that their money is spent efficiently and only as necessary, will change their health care consumption behavior in a way which will force providers to compete on cost and quality and thus drive down costs. This is mistaken.
It's undeniably true that markets do work in this way, most of the time. The auto industry and the fall of Detroit is a perfect example of the invisible hand at work. It will not work in health care. Health care is a fundamentally different market for three major reasons:
1. Health care is generally not a refusable or elective service.
By this, I mean that in most cases, the health care costs are driven by medically necessary procedures. You get pneumonia. Your knees wear out. You find a lump in your breast. You notice blood in your stool. Barring the denial/self-neglect approach that some people take, when you develop a medical problem, you need to spend money to remedy it. While the timing of your knee replacement may be elective, whether to do it or not generally is not, if the alternative is being disabled and non-ambulatory. It is an inelastic demand, like the demand for gas. When gas gets more expensive, you still have to fuel your car, and except for very small variations, the demand for gas does not vary with the price. Similarly, the demand for medically needed care is not going to be terribly price-responsive. When your doctor tells you that you need chemotherapy, you don't make the decision to proceed based on the cost, but on the need. And the number of recreational colonoscopies performed is actually very low.
It is true that some medical costs are elective and price-sensitive -- preventative care, luxury procedures like Lasik, some office visits. These, however, are a tiny fraction of overall health care costs. As in my analogy, some people do drive less when the price of gas goes up -- they take the bus instead -- but this does not reduce demand enough to make a difference in the price of oil.
2. There is an asymmetry of information
This asymmetry relates to both price and necessity. When your orthopedist tells you that your knee pain is due to a degenerated meniscus and that the best treatment for that is athroscopy, most consumers are going to simply accept the surgeon's advice. Now, as it happens, there is good evidence that arthroscopy of the knee provides no more benefit than placebo, but 99% of patients are not going to be aware of this and are not going to bother to do the research to find it out. Those that do might find that the surgeon has an explanation why, in your case, he thinks it will be helpful despite the studies showing otherwise for other people. In most cases, the patient must trust the physician to provide accurate information on what is really needed. And if you should ask your surgeon what the cost of the arthroscopy will be, the answer will probably be, "I don't know." Price transparency is poor to begin with, but there is the very real fact that based on a patient's individual payer status, the cost will vary dramatically, and the surgeon probably does not know what the cost will be for your case. Finally, when consumers make health care providers compete against one another to decide by whom and where the care will be given, they tend to be concerned primarily with quality and with cost as, at best, a secondary concern.
All these factors greatly inhibit competition and the development of a free market. To some degree it is possible to mitigate these, through, say, all-payer price-setting, mandatory disclosures, and publishing outcomes data, etc. However, the third variable, in my opinion, makes the rest all-but-moot.
3. Purchasing power is concentrated in the hands of a very small number of "consumers"
This is the wooden stake through the heart of the idea that consumer behavior can effect cost containment. The functioning of a free market is dependent on the ability of consumers to vary their behavior to force suppliers to compete. However, you and I can be as scrupulous and cost conscious as we like. We are not sick. (Well, I'm not anyway. I hope you're OK.) The driver of cost is the small fraction of people who have serious medical conditions. It's the old 80/20 rule writ large.
Though the data is a few years old, I doubt the distribution has changed. To emphasize, HALF of all health care costs in the US is concentrated in only 5% of the population, and 80% of costs are accounted for by the top quintile! (source: Kaiser Foundation PDF)
So the effect here is that with such a concentration of costs in such a small segment of the population, the ability of the larger population to move the market is highly restricted. You can make 80% of consumers highly price-sensitive, but they can only affect a tiny fraction of healthcare spending. And for the generally well, their costs are probably those which are least responsible for the spiraling inflation. They're not getting $30,000 stents or prolonged ICU stays, or needing complex chronic disease management.
Conversely, those who are high consumers of health care simply cannot be made more price-sensitive, since their costs are probably well beyond what they could pay in any event, and for most are well beyond the limits of even a catastrophic health insurance policy. Once you are told that you need a bypass/chemo/stent/dialysis/NICU etc., etc., etc., the costs are so overwhelming that a consumer cannot possibly pay them out of pocket. Since, by definition, these catastrophic costs are paid by some form of insurance, the consumer cannot have much financial interest in cost containment.
For most, when they are confronted with a major or life-threatening illness, their entire focus shifts to survival, and they could care less about the cost. Further, many who are in this sick/expensive category have some diminished capacity with regard to their information gathering and decision-making. I'm thinking particularly of the elderly and those who have had strokes or any one of a multitude of illnesses which impact cognitive function or other functional capacity.
These patients struggle with their activities of daily living -- getting dressed, bathing, transportation, housing, taking their meds. Their ability (let alone interest) in price-shopping their doctors is minimal to nonexistent, even if they had an economic incentive to do so. Taking someone who has a serious illness and making them have more "skin in the game" would represent a cruel additional hardship, but would be ineffective in creating an economic environment in which consumer behavior brought down spiraling health care costs.
On a personal note, I've recently acquired some experience with the perspective of someone who is a member of the 1% club. As I have blogged, my wife is under treatment for stage IIb breast cancer. We are pretty highly functional and informed consumers, and we actually have the financial resources to pay for more of our care than most would, so if, hypothetically, we had a stronger incentive to seek out more cost-effective care, we would be in a position to do so.
So, in our case, would we? No, of course not. My wife's chemo is going to cost more than $100,000. I am sure that we could cut down the cost. Herceptin is pretty expensive -- are there less expensive alternatives? Turns out there are not. We spent a lot of money on Neulasta to keep her immune system operational during the intense chemo. Maybe we could have gone without it and just risked neutropenia? Maybe saved some money and used neupogen instead? That would have been quite a risk at minimal savings. Maybe we could have skipped the expensive anti-nausea meds? Not a chance! Chemo is miserable enough that those meds were worth every penny. (Not to mention that all these meds might actually be cost-saving in keeping her out of the hospital with complications of chemo.)
What other options do we have in deciding how we treat the cancer? Radiation is non-negotiable, and maybe we could shop between facilities for the best deal. Of course there may not be much price flexibility on radiotherapy given the huge capital costs required. We will be interviewing half a dozen surgeons to determine who will do the mastectomy and reconstruction, and we are 100% focused on quality in making that choice.
So, in the end, if we had the proverbial "skin in the game" in making treatment decisions for my wife's cancer, I doubt it would make one iota of difference in the actual cost, or at very best only a small marginal difference in a very, very expensive course of treatment.
Bear in mind, we are the perfect test case! I can afford to pay $20,000 or more out of pocket if I need to, and it STILL wouldn't make a difference. If families with more limited means were obligated to pay the same $10-20K, if would mean financial ruin, or inability to access the lifesaving care, but it wouldn't allow the invisible hand to guide the market towards cheaper, more efficient care.
This is, ultimately, why people who believe that passing along the cost of health care to consumers will promote cost savings are wrong, and reforms that are predicated on that idea will not work.


text:
Getting Around
Info - Missionary PrayerGuard
Info - UPG PrayerGuard
Get Your Own PrayerGuard
Contact PrayerGuard!
Stuff to Do...
Promote PrayerGuard
Ethne Prayer Section for Unreached Peoples
Put these buttons
On Your Site
Pray for The Unreached People Group of the Hour
Praying for:
Chinese, general of Chad
Topic: 1 of 3
Boldness: Preaching
Ministering in a foreign culture can be quite intimidating. There are also spirits of fear that work to hold back the power of God's word. Pray for confidence and boldness to deliver the message God has given them.
Eph 6:19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel...
God, You are enthroned above the heavens and ever worthy of our allegiance to You. We will bow to You and You alone, Lord. Thank you, Jesus, that as we are not ashamed of You, You will not be ashamed of us before the Father.
I pray for
Chinese, general of Chad
today that they will have a fearless boldness to speak everything You put in their hearts to proclaim. Let no fear dampen and no cloud bring doubt to their hearts, but let
Chinese, general of Chad
clearly hear Your voice and boldly proclaim Your words to others. Anoint
Chinese, general of Chad
with boldness and favor with the people today that all may have eternal life--to know You, Father and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Next Prayer »
Pray-it Say-it Cards
Site software customization by
SaeSolved:: LLC


text:
Special Forces Capture Suspected Participant in Benghazi Attack
Ahmed Abu Khattala called a "key leader" in assault on U.S. Embassy in Libya.
WASHINGTON | U.S. special forces seized a "key leader" in the deadly Benghazi, Libya, attack and he is on his way to face trial in the U.S. for the fiery assault that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans, the Obama administration announced Tuesday. It was the first breakthrough in the sudden overseas violence in 2012 that has become a long-festering political sore at home.
President Barack Obama said the capture on Sunday of Ahmed Abu Khattala sends a clear message to the world that "when Americans are attacked, no matter how long it takes, we will find those responsible and we will bring them to justice."
"We will find you," Obama declared.
As recently as last August, though, Abu Khattala told The Associated Press that he was not in hiding nor had he been questioned by Libyan authorities about the attack at the diplomatic compound. He denied involvement and said that he had abandoned the militia. Administration officials said Tuesday that despite his media interviews, he "evaded capture" until the weekend when military special forces nabbed him.
Whatever the path to his capture, he was headed for the United States to face what Obama called "the full weight of the American justice system." Obama called the Libyan an "alleged key leader" of the attacks, and said he was being transported to the U.S., without saying exactly how or where.
Abu Khattala was the commander of a militant group called the Abu Obaida bin Jarrah Brigade and is accused of being a senior leader of the Benghazi branch of the terror organization Ansar al-Shariah in Libya.
On Capitol Hill, Republicans urged the administration to get as much intelligence out of Abu Khattala as possible before anyone reads him his rights to remain silent, supplies him with a lawyer and prepares him for trial in a U.S. courtroom. In fact, Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, said interrogation of the Libyan already was underway and "we hope to find out some positive things."
Abu Khattala is charged with terror-related crimes in U.S. District Court in Washington and will be tried like a civilian, the administration said. The Obama administration policy is to treat terror suspects as criminals when possible and not send them to the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, like hundreds of terror suspects captured during the administration of President George W. Bush.
Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said the U.S. should skip the legal niceties and focus on interrogation.
"The most valuable thing we can get from this terrorist is information about who else was involved in this," McConnell told reporters. "We'll be watching closely to see how much information they glean from him and how they're handling it."
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., added: "We should have some quality time with this guy — weeks and months. Don't torture him; have some quality time with him."
Justice Department spokesman Marc Raimondi declined to comment on whether Abu Khatalla had been read his "Miranda rights" or when that might happen.
"As a general rule, the government will always seek to elicit all actionable intelligence and information we can from terrorist suspects in our custody," Raimondi said in an email.
The Sept. 11, 2012, attack in Benghazi, on the 11th anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks, killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. Stevens was the first U.S. ambassador to be killed in the line of duty in more than 30 years. In the immediate aftermath, political reaction formed along sharply drawn lines that hold fast to this day.
With the presidential election near, Republicans accused the White House of intentionally misleading voters about what sparked the attack by portraying it as one of the many protests over an anti-Muslim video made in America, instead of a calculated terrorist attack on the president's watch. Obama, for his part, accused the Republicans of politicizing a national tragedy.
After 13 public hearings, the release of 25,000 pages of documents and 50 separate briefings, more congressional hearings are yet to come. One element in the ongoing political situation: The attacks unfolded while Hillary Rodham Clinton, now considered a likely Democratic presidential candidate, was secretary of state, and Republicans have faulted her words and actions in many respects.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday, Abu Khattala is charged with providing, attempting and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists that resulted in death; discharging, brandishing, using, carrying and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, and killing a person in the course of an attack on a federal facility and conspiring to do so. Officials said he could face the death penalty if convicted of the last charge.
His arrest may well not be the last. "Even as we begin the process of putting Khattala on trial and seeking his conviction before a jury, our investigation will remain ongoing as we work to identify and arrest any co-conspirators," Attorney General Eric Holder said.
Some Republicans said Abu Khattala should be headed for Guantanamo, not Washington, so that he could be interrogated at length.
"The president is more focused on his legacy of closing Guantanamo Bay than preventing future terrorist attacks like what happened in Benghazi," said Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., countered that Abu Khatalla can be brought to justice in U.S. courts "just as we have successfully tried more than 500 terrorism suspects since 9/11." He said sending the Libyan to Guantanamo would be taking "the easy way out."
National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in an email statement: "We have not added a single person to the GTMO population since President Obama took office, and we have had substantial success delivering swift justice to terrorists through our federal court system."
A witness interviewed by AP following the attack said Abu Khattala was present at the building when it came under attack nearly two years ago, directing fighters. Abu Khattala admitted being there but said he was helping rescue trapped people.
As for the circumstances of his capture, Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, credited U.S. forces with "carrying out a dangerous and complex capture operation resulting in no casualties."
The Pentagon press secretary, Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, said that regardless of how openly the Libyan was said to have been living, the important point was that he now is in custody.
"Let's just say for argument's sake he was living in plain sight; he's not anymore," Kirby said. People should not think this was a situation where "he was going to McDonald's for milkshakes every Friday night and we could have just picked him up in a taxi cab," he said. "These people deliberately try to evade capture."
As the U.S. raid took place on Sunday, forces loyal to a renegade general attacked Islamic militant camps in Benghazi as part of a new assault against the groups. Airstrikes targeted the camps on behalf of Gen. Khalifa Hifter, who was a top military official under dictator Moammar Gadhafi but later defected and lived for years in the U.S.
It isn't clear what the strikes targeted. The general later said the clashes killed five of his fighters. Hifter's forces have targeted Ansar al-Shariah.


text:
Fingernail Pre-Employment Test in Anchorage, Alaska
MedPhysicals Plus has 5 lab testing locations in the state of Alaska. We offer medical laboratory, DNA, drug and alcohol testing, paramedical examination, and health and wellness screening services.
If you're looking for a/an Fingernail Pre-Employment Test near Anchorage, Alaska, there's no better choice for medical services than MedPhysicals Plus, where we are your one-stop-shop for private lab services.
Here are some of our popular lab tests and services:
Local Fingernail Pre-Employment Test Near You
There is no insurance needed and no visit to your doctor for these tests. Schedule an appointment, then visit the lab. You will receive your results 1-2 days after the lab visit.
Many of our services are available as walk-ins, mobile, in-office, and by appointment. MPP also offers convenient in-home testing and specimen collections.
Call MedPhysicals Plus today to discuss getting a/an Fingernail Pre-Employment Test in Anchorage, Alaska.
Fingernail Pre-Employment Test in Anchorage, Alaska
MedPhysicals Plus, LLC is a Better Business Bureau Accredited Business.
View our current rating and reviews on BBB.org.
MedPhysicals Plus is Alaska's leader in Health Information Services.
MedPhysicals Plus assists private individuals, professionals, and companies with a wide selection of health services.


text:
Have you tried 루나 모바일(12) 1.0.597 MOD (Unlimited Money) apksafety is offering 루나 모바일(12) free for you to download, with version 1.0.597 being released on January 26, 2022 by apksafety, size 59, with approximately 100,000+ app store downloads, is in the categoryRole Playing.
GAMES 루나 모바일(12) 1.0.597 MOD (Unlimited Money) requires at least Android version. You must update your Android phone if it doesn't meet the requirements.
Nowadays, Android phones are everywhere, and everyone can access it, but there is an inconvenience that not all Role Playing or applications can be installed for all phones. Those apps or games, sometimes not available to your device, depend on your Android OS version, screen resolution, or countries where Google Play is allowed to be accessed. So apksafety, we have the APK files available for you to download as 루나 모바일(12) 1.0.597 MOD (Unlimited Money) and don't stick to these restrictions.
MOD features:
|App Name
|루나 모바일(12) v1.0.597
|Games, Role Playing
|Latest Version
|Get it On
|Package Name
Copyright© 2022 Apksafety


text:
Sweatshirt Combo of 4-I'm So Cool-Let's Go Travel-Trippy Wheels-Roarr
MRP inclusive of taxes.
Subcribe to back in stock notification
Combo of 4 Sweatshirts
This winter season gets irresistibly cute warm winter sweatshirts from The Mom Store to keep your little one all snugly and cozy. These warm winter sweatshirts cotton brushed fleece lined to be gentle on your baby's skin while keeping them warm in the winters.
This Sweatshirt has a Cute Print your Little one will enjoy wearing
Material: 100% Cotton with Brushed Fleece
- Brushed Fleece Inside
- Made in India
Shipped by: Quriosity Learning Private Limited, The Mom Store, 1,2 and 3rd Floor, Sy.No 3/1, Yamalur Village, Varthur Hobli, Bengaluru East, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560037
We deliver across India in both Prepaid and COD mode.
All orders (except Pre-Orders) are dispatched within 24 hours and delivery takes 6-10 business days.
For International Orders- We accept Prepaid International Orders.
For Express Orders- We offer 48 hour Express delivery (on business days only) for urgent orders across India with an additional charge of Rs. 200. Orders placed before 6 PM IST will be shipped the same day and orders placed after that will be shipped the next business day.
Returnable or Exchangeable Products: Women's Apparel, Kid's Apparel, Bags, Nursing Pillows, Baby Gear, Baby Essentials and Apparels
Non-Returnable- Cloth Diapers, Kids Mask, Adult Mask, Maternity Lingerie, Soul Slings, Joie, Mastela, Skip Hop, B.Box, Zolii, Happy Threads Products
You can return products within 7 days after delivery (where return is available). Please follow these steps to raise the request:
- Create a "Return Request" under "Orders" in the Main Menu of the website.
- It will direct you to enter your Order Number and Email Id
- Follow the screens that come up and place the return request for the items in the order you wish to return
- Please upload images of the product to be returned while processing the return. In case, upload option doesn't work you can email the images to firstname.lastname@example.com with your "Order No." in subject
- Once submitted, our team will review and approve your request within 48 hours
- We will schedule the pickup for the same
- Merchandise from all brands except The Mom Store is not available for return and exchange
You can exchange products within 7 days after delivery. Once your return parcel is received via reverse pick-up and inspected by our quality control team, an email will be sent to you to confirm the receipt of the returned item and the exchange product requested by customer will be sent out. The customer can also opt for a store credit to utilize for purchase.
NOTE : Exchange is allowed once per order, on the exchanged order refund shall not be applicable if customer wants to return Exchanged item. Store credit will be issued in such cases.
Please follow these steps to raise the request:


text:
Yankees' acquisition of Soriano finalized
Cubs receive 2012 fourth-rounder Black in exchange for slugging outfielder
PHOENIX -- Alfonso Soriano is officially headed back to the Yankees, where he began his Major League career.
A deal sending Soriano from the Cubs to New York, which was set in motion on Thursday night, was finalized a few hours before the Yankees' series opener against the Rays on Friday night. In addition to Soriano, Chicago sends cash considerations to the Yankees in exchange for right-hander Corey Black, New York's fourth-round pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft.
According to the YES Network's Twitter account, Soriano is in Friday's Yankees starting lineup, batting cleanup and playing left field. Soriano, who wore No. 12 in his first stint with the Yankees, will don the same number, which had been worn by Vernon Wells prior to the deal. Wells will now wear No. 22.
Black has posted a 4.25 ERA in 19 starts for Class A Advanced Tampa this season, striking out 88 batters and walking 45 in 82 2/3 innings. Across three levels last season, the righty had a 3.08 ERA over 52 2/3 innings.
Soriano was originally in the Cubs' starting lineup on Thursday for the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but president of baseball operations Theo Epstein called manager Dale Sveum and asked him to pull the 37-year-old outfielder, saying a deal was "99 percent" completed.
Major League Baseball had to review the financial terms of the deal before the trade could be completed.
The Cubs will pick up $17.7 million of the $24.5 million remaining on Soriano's contract. The Yankees will pay $5 million of the $18 million owed Soriano next year.
Cubs players were visibly upset at the news that Soriano was leaving. The seven-time All-Star was a mentor to some of the young players, such as Starlin Castro, Junior Lake and Luis Valbuena.
Prospect acquired by Cubs
- Corey Black, RHP: Black began his college career at San Diego State, where he was recruited as a two-way player. He eventually gave up hitting and transferred to Faulkner State, an NAIA school in Alabama, for his junior season. Black's power arsenal stood out there and the Yankees selected him in the fourth round of the 2012 Draft. Black throws his fastball in the mid-90s with some sink and has touched 100 mph. He also throws a changeup, slider and curveball. None of Black's offspeed pitches is as advanced as his fastball, but that hasn't stopped him from striking out 138 batters in 135 innings as a professional at the time of the trade. His command still needs improvement, and he has walked 45 batters in 82 2/3 innings this season. Listed at 5-foot-11, Black doesn't have ideal size for a right-hander, and he underwent Tommy John surgery as a high school junior. He has spent his first full professional season at Class A Advanced Tampa as a starter, but some scouts think he will fit better into a Major League bullpen.
-- Teddy Cahill
The Yankees were 6 1/2 games back in the American League East entering Friday's action. Can Soriano help the Yankees? He began his Major League career with them in 1999 and played with them through 2003, leading the AL in runs and hits in 2002.
"He's been a productive player over his career, there's no doubt about it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He's been an exciting player, a guy that could steal 40 bases, a guy that could hit 40 home runs. He's been a good player."
"He had a lot of power, stole a lot of bases. Sori did a lot when he was here. He was pretty exciting," Yankees captain Derek Jeter said.
"He's going to a place that is obviously one of the better stadiums, and he's been there before and has performed in that atmosphere before," Sveum said. "Obviously, they've had a lot of injuries, and he's the guy who can fill that void as [designated hitter] and in left field."
Soriano has hit 10 home runs in his last 21 games and was batting .286 in that stretch with six doubles, 21 RBIs and a 1.044 OPS, dating to June 28. He has homered in five of his last 14 games and ranks seventh among active players in career home runs with 389.
"He's put together a pretty good run," Sveum said. "Last year at 36 years old, he hit 32 [home runs] and drove in 108 [runs]. That's a legacy in itself. He's a guy who when he's on the field, he's lived up to his media guide, so to speak, besides the stolen bases he's had in his career early."
This was Sveum's second season with Soriano, and he was impressed with his professionalism.
"He's 100 percent completely different than I thought," Sveum said. "There hasn't been a day of disappointment in his attitude, his work ethic, what he brings to younger players and his professionalism has been off the charts."
Soriano signed the most lucrative deal ever given in Cubs' franchise history, eight years, $136 million, in November 2006.
"It's a big contract, but that's not my goal," Soriano said when he inked the deal. "My goal is to play hard and give you a championship. It's not about the contract, it's about the city and the fans here."
The Cubs won the Central Division that season but not a championship. And they repeated as Central champs in '08. Chicago failed to make the playoffs after that, and lost 101 games last season for the first time since 1966. If the team had won, Soriano's contract most likely wouldn't have been criticized by fans as much as it has.
"There's no doubt, he's one of the top five ultimate professionals I've been around in this game," Sveum said.
On Tuesday night, Epstein and Sveum met with Soriano to go over his options, and Soriano said he gave Epstein a list of teams he would consider.
"The Yankees are on the list," Soriano said.
Soriano did not play Wednesday to give him time to think about his options.
"You sit back, and you're like, 'Well, he's going to a place he's been and is comfortable,'" Sveum said. "Obviously, he accepted [the trade]. It's something he felt is right at this time for his family and in his career, and being part of a pennant race."
Soriano left the Yankees when he was traded to the Rangers for Alex Rodriguez prior to the 2004 season. Jeter and Mariano Rivera were his teammates then, and Robinson Cano lives in the same town as Soriano in the Dominican Republic. Soriano could end his career back where he started.
"Everybody knows how I feel about Sori," Jeter said. "I said it when we traded for Al -- he's someone that you develop a relationship with and you miss them when they leave. We had a great relationship."
The Cubs have already made five trades in July, including Monday's deal that sent Matt Garza to the Rangers for five prospects.
Epstein used the meeting to thank Soriano for how he's mentored some of the younger players.
"Sometimes there's a natural time to move on, to clear opportunities for younger players, to get Sori into a pennant race and play every day," Epstein said Wednesday. "We just wanted to outline it [in the meeting]. It seems like it might be an appropriate time if he is going to move on to do it now. We can keep Lake in the lineup a little bit while he's hot. We've got [David] DeJesus coming back from the DL, we've got [Brian] Bogusevic and [Ryan] Sweeney coming back. We're looking to give opportunities for young players."


text:
Rhode Island Info
Rhode Island Divorce Start Your Divorce Find Professionals Rhode Island Articles Divorce Facts Divorce Grounds Residency Divorce Laws Mediation/Counseling Divorce Process Legal Separation Annulments Property Division Alimony Child Custody Child Support Divorce Forms Process Service Grandparent Rights Forum Rhode Island Products Divorce by County
Rhode Island Articles
Agreements Custody & Visitation Child Support Divorce/General Domestic Abuse Financial Planning Property Division Spousal Support
Info Categories
Contemplating Divorce Children & Divorce Divorce, Dollars & Debt Divorce Laws Divorce Process Divorce Negotiation
More Information
Articles Checklists Research Center Cases of Interest Dictionary Encyclopedia Encyclopedia (pop-up) Blogs
For Professionals
Advertise With Us Free Network Page Join Our Network Submit Articles Sign In
Network Sites
Domestic Abuse
Recent Article List
Rhode Island Family Court Jurisdiction: If the restraining order is against your husband or wife or ex husband or ex-wife or against a family member by blood or marriage then it should be filed in Rhode Island Family Court. If there is a pending Rhode Island divorce, then the restraining order against a spouse should be filed in Family Court.
Navigate: Home States Rhode Island Divorce Source Rhode Island Divorce Articles, News and Resources Domestic Abuse
Rhode Island state law requires a 60-day waiting period after the couple has filed a petition, but the court reserves the right to hear cases sooner should it be deemed appropriate. During the 60 days, the court has the discretion to investigate claims and order counseling.
Terms & Conditions | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Do Not Sell My Information
Established in 1996
Copyright© 1996-. All rights reserved by MH Sub I, LLC dba 3StepDivorce.


text:
Bigger Lowe tries to make Byron contender
Byron power forward Daniel Lowe spent what he called "three-quarters of the offseason" in the weight room and the gym.
And it's showing.
He has turned into a different player, and now both he and his coach hope he can help make the Tigers a different team as well.
"He hit the weight room, and hard, in the offseason," Byron head coach Tom Schmidt said. "He's always had that soft touch, good hands. He's been good around the basket. But now, with his new strength, it's taken him to another level."
Lowe posted 16 points and 10 rebounds as Byron strolled past Pecatonica 67-55 in the fifth-place game of the Forreston Tournament on Friday night. The Tigers are 7-4 and, as Lowe starts to prove he's better than ever, the Tigers expect to prove they belong in the race for Big Northern Conference bragging rights.
"We're all starting to feel like we can build this thing into a good team," Lowe said. "The thing is, everybody seems so focused on getting better, it's bound to happen."
Lowe is averaging just under 21 points and 9.6 rebounds this season, after averaging 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds last year. While he's only grown a couple of inches, it's the muscle that Lowe added that is making the biggest difference.
He headed into this season 20 pounds heavier, and it's the kind of weight he can throw around effectively in the paint. Headed into Friday's game, he was shooting 57 percent from the field, and the team's big man was even 7-for-14 from 3-point range.
"It makes a big difference when it comes to boxing out and rebounding, obviously, but it's just made me a better all-around player," Lowe said. "I saw the potential in myself at the end of last year, and I knew if I worked at it, I could really do something this year."
So far he has. Now the Tigers will find out how much of a difference it will make. They went 4-8 against BNC foes last year, and they jump into this season's conference schedule full force when they come out of the break.
Mendota, Winnebago and Lutheran will all be early-2014 opponents for the Tigers, and they will give Schmidt and his crew a good idea of where they are. While they may not be quite where they want to be yet, they hope to find signs that it's not far off.
"We've shown some flashes already, and with Daniel stepping up his game, and the rest of the guys picking it up, this is definitely a team that can compete," Schmidt said. "This team will go as far as our defense will take us, and if Daniel continues to be a big-time threat, we've got some nice pieces out there."


text:
This article was originally published in the January/February 1997 issue of Home Energy Magazine. Some formatting inconsistencies may be evident in older archive content.
| Back to Contents Page | Home Energy Index | About Home Energy |
Home Energy Magazine Online January/February 1997
Carrying the Torch for Energy-Efficient LightingAbout every two years, I write an editorial about lighting. I say that significant advances in technology have occurred, and that the latest generation of compact fluorescents (CFLs) will surely replace incandescents if only consumers take the trouble to investigate the opportunities. In the past two years, however, there have not been any significant advances. There have been all sorts of small improvements, such as three-way CFLs and CFLs that work on existing dimmers, but nothing that unequivocally tips the balance away from the inefficient, but cheap, incandescent.
Indeed, there has been a major setback to energy-efficient lighting. The 40 million halogen torchieres now operating in American homes represent a shift to lower-efficacy lighting. In fact, these lights now waste more energy than is being saved by all the CFLs installed so far. The torchieres are actually 300W-600W ceiling heaters that just happen to produce light. Worse, these lamps are a fire hazard, with the higher-wattage models producing enough heat to fry an egg! These heat sources are often unprotected and are frequently just inches from drapes and curtains. So it is with some relief that the article Bright Prospects for CFL Torchieres (p. 13) introduces an energy-efficient, less incendiary torchiere.
There has been progress on the lighting front in the area of information gathering. Shedding Light on Home Lighting Use (p. 15) describes the largest attempt so far to accurately measure the amount of electricity consumed by lights in homes. This kind of study is essential if we are to estimate potential energy savings, and if manufacturers are to determine what lighting improvements are needed. Also, the first government estimate of residential lighting energy use was just published by the Energy Information Administration. In the report, the authors felt obliged to explain why their estimate (obtained from self-reporting by residents) differed from an earlier one that appeared in Home Energy (see Of Sockets, Housecalls, and Hardware, Nov/Dec '91, p. 25). If the government takes Home Energy seriously, so should you!
It is easy to estimate the power savings that result when an incandescent is replaced with a CFL, but how much can truly be saved with a major lighting retrofit? In the past, everybody relied on crude estimates because monitoring technologies were simply not capable of collecting this information nonintrusively. That's changed, and the article by Danny Parker and Lynn Schrum (p. 21) describes a total lighting retrofit of a house and the resulting measured savings. Studies like this one--especially since it was conducted in sunny Miami--build credibility and serve as a reminder that 50% energy savings are more than just technically feasible; they are practical.
I look forward to writing another lighting editorial in two years. Here's a list of significant technological advances that I would like to write about: a CFL to replace the 150W kitchen light, a CFL that fits every place an incandescent does now, and a low-cost electronic ballast for retrofitting existing magnetically ballasted fixtures.
| Back to Contents Page | Home Energy Index | About Home Energy |
Home Energy can be reached at: email@example.com
- 1


text:
Bradford Washburn
Henry Bradford Washburn Jr. died of heart failure on January 10, at the age of 96, in a retirement home in Lexington, Massachusetts. His legacy, however, as a mountaineer, photographer, cartographer and all-around adventurer extraordinaire will live on.
Henry Bradford Washburn Jr. died of heart failure on January 10, at the age of 96, in a retirement home in Lexington, Massachusetts. His legacy, however, as a mountaineer, photographer, cartographer and all-around adventurer extraordinaire will live on.
To climbers, Washburn is most famous for his 1951 first ascent of the West Buttress on Denali, of which Washburn once said, had the route never existed, Talkeetna wouldn't even be a town. After 22 days on the mountain, Washburn and a team of climbers from Colorado topped out on what would become the most climbed line in Alaska, making the highest peak in North America accessible to mountaineers of a wide range of skill level. The West Buttress was a seminal moment in Alaskan mountaineering, and its discovery was thanks to Washburn's own aerial photograph, a skill for which he was equally famous.
Washburn was born in Boston on June 7, 1910. His father was a dean at the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, who took his family to the Catskills, in New York, during the summers, and later, Squam Lake, New Hampshire. At 11, Brad climbed the highest peak in the Northeast, Mount Washington, the ascent captured Brad's heart and imagination, perhaps only because, in the alpine air, his hay fever disappeared entirely.
Around the same time, Washburn bought his first camera for one dollar, a Kodak point-and-shoot. Before even entering high school, he was developing his own pictures. Later, heeding the advice of his mother, he began experimenting with large-format photography, which he used to document his ascents in the Alps. As a teenager, over the course of three trips, Washburn climbed the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, Les Dru, the north peak of Charmoz and the airy needle of the Grepon. On his third trip, at 19, Brad, along with guides Georges Charlet and Alfred Couttet, made the first ascent of the imposing North Face of the Aguille Verte in a day, a landmark climb that he often referred to as his best.
Washburn, who by this point had already written three books, entered Harvard University in 1929. Even the way he financed his tuition was ahead of its time for climbers: he gave slideshows, only instead of presenting at the local gear shop, he lectured at prestigious institutions such as the National Geographic Society, and at Carnegie Hall. Washburn first acquired an aerial camera (with the help of a professor) in 1933, and headed to the Saint Elias Range the next year, made the first ascent of Mount Crillon with Adams Carter, employed the unprecedented use of glacier landings and supply drops and came away with enough survey data to make a map. The next year, Washburn and seven men from the Harvard Mountaineering Club spent 84 days crossing the Saint Elias Range, mapping over 5,000 square miles of previously unknown territory.
Climbers have relied heavily on Washburn's photos for new route information. Here's a short list of climbs done as a direct result of Washburn's photos and charting efforts: Mugs Stump's Moonflower Buttress, Mount Hunter; Lionel Terray's French Ridge, Mount Huntington. And on Denali: Jack Tackle's Isis Face; David Roberts' Wickersham Wall; Ricardo Cassin's Cassin Ridge. Washburn's photos are not only useful, they're beautiful. Artists have lauded his work, including one of his mentors, Ansel Adams, who called him one of the best mountain photographers of all time.In 1939, Washburn took a job as director of the New England Museum of Natural History (later to be called the Museum of Science), in Boston, a job he happily, diligently and expertly performed for 41 years. Over that time, he turned the old, rundown joint into the greatest children's museum in the world. When he first took office, he was tasked with hiring a secretary, he only saw one applicant, a young woman named Barbara Polk, who at first politely turned down the job. Insistent, Washburn called her every night until she accepted the position, and within less than a year, they were married.
A loving husband, father of three, Washburn remained active up until just recently, completing nearly a century of innovation and productivity. In the later years, he contributed by literally taking the world up a notch, discovering the true height of Mount Everest to be seven feet higher than previously estimated.
Few people would ever be able to match the incredible breadth of Washburn's contributions to society, though many benefited from them, as well as Washburn's open, comfortable personality. Climbers and explorers, artists and scientists: all regard Washburn with esteem. Bradford Washburn is survived by his wife, Barbara, and their three children.


text:
Kansas Police investigate a case of missing marijuana...the number one suspect is RidicuList-worthy.
Post by: Anderson Cooper
Filed under: The RidicuList
im so bored, ima give some mice marijuana cause if i use or posses it i can do big time for having such goods, its very funny looking at my mice consume this product, friends fed, gov, and 5 O love that this is not legal to the people, or should i say civilians, they laughing all the way to the public with this, my buddy tyranny says you have no right to fight a case on your marijuana case cooper, so keep it to your self when you hit up, and blame it on goose, no just blame it on your illness, or make one up,my brothers would have been in jail by now if they did something like that on youtube, mr.contradiction is a liar, he told me i have the right to consume whatever i want in moderation, ye right, im so bored.
That dirty rat! Now they're learning from US! And to think they have their own pads! What's this world coming to?!
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
Questions or comments? Send an email
Want to know more? Go behind the scenes with AC361°


text:
All NOAA
Privacy Policy
Dodge City, KS
Weather Forecast Office
Last Map Update: Fri, Mar. 31, 2023 at 4:07:18 am CDT
Hazardous Weather Outlook
Climate Maps
Text Products
Submit a Report
Aviation Weather
Fire Weather
Chaser info
Local Climate
US Dept of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service
Dodge City, KS104 Airport RoadDodge City, KS 67801-9351620-225-6514Comments? Questions? Please Contact Us.


text:
When it comes to smartphones, everyone uses their devices just a little bit differently. And when it comes to the iPhone in particular, people sometimes have very specific use cases for work, home, and social lives. Some users might feel like the iPhone's screen is too small for their spreadsheet editing on-the-go, while others might feel that the entire device is already too big to fit into a pocket while skydiving. A fingerprint scanner could be useful to those who work high-security jobs, while it might come off as a superfluous expense for a teacher.
With Apple's September 12 media event just around the corner, it's time to begin speculating seriously about which features would benefit current and future iPhone users the most. We recently rounded up some of the most likely rumors about the next-gen iPhone, which include 4G LTE support, a screen-size bump, a revised dock connector, an improved camera, the 4FF's new "nano" SIM standard, and the iPhone's overall look and feel.
But the intricate details about these alleged new features are largely still missing—what should the new dock connector look like and what will be the goal of the redesign? How much can one really improve on the iPhone's camera? Will LTE be supported outside of the US and Canada (unlike the third-generation iPad)? And when it comes to the processor, should Apple upgrade the iPhone from the current A5 to a quad-core "A6" processor, or should it go with the A5X "extreme" that's currently in the third-gen iPad?
That's why we're asking you, our passionate and clued-in readership. Tell us what you'd like to see Apple add to the next-generation iPhone and how you would make use of those improvements. Both practical and fantasy suggestions are OK by us, but we'd like to know how you think those improvements would benefit different kinds of users: from iPhone aficionados to Android converts, from business to home users, and so on.
After reading through your answers, we'll choose the best ones to highlight before the event takes place next Wednesday. So tell us: what should the new iPhone look like, inside and out?


text:
Kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart's memoir to be written by US congressman-elect
Utah Congressman-elect and author Chris Stewart said that Smart has made a surprising recovery from the brutal experience at the hands of her captor.
Ten years after her kidnapping, Elizabeth Smart is preparing her story of being held captive by a homeless street preacher, her improbable rescue after nine months, and how she advocated for children after the ordeal.
St. Martin's Press bought the rights to the memoir from the now 25-year-old senior at Brigham Young University. Smart married a fellow Mormon missionary, Matthew Gilmour, in February.
The account is being written by Chris Stewart, a congressman-elect from Utah who has authored books with religious and patriotic themes.
Stewart said Friday that Smart has made a surprising recovery from the brutal experience at the hands of her captor.
"She has taken a professional outlook on this and is able to talk in an impressive way about these things frankly," Stewart told The Associated Press. He said parts of her book would receive "appropriate" but not "salacious" treatment.
"She's not shying away from this story," he said.
Smart has said she waited for the March 2011 sentencing of Brian David Mitchell before collaborating on the telling of her story, which has been in the works for nearly a year.
Mitchell, a onetime itinerant street preacher, was convicted of Smart's kidnapping and sexual assault. He is serving two life sentences at a federal prison in Arizona.
Authorities say he snatched the then-14-year-old Smart from her bedroom at knifepoint on June 5, 2002.
The book won't just be the story of Smart's captivity but also will depict how she organized theElizabeth Smart Foundation and brought more attention and law enforcement techniques to the cases of missing and abused children, said her publicist Christopher Thomas.
"She started the foundation to get her message across, and book was another way to do it," Thomas said.
It will be the fourth book about the kidnapping that caused a national sensation.
The first was "Held Captive," a quick treatment published months after police captured Smart walking along a busy suburban Salt Lake City street with Mitchell and his wife Wanda Barzee, who is serving a 15-year sentence.
Then came her parents' bestseller, "Bringing Elizabeth Home: A Journey of Faith and Hope."
A more revealing account was "Plain Sight: The Startling Truth Behind the Elizabeth Smart Investigation," by news photographer Tom Smart — the girl's uncle — and Lee Benson, a columnist for the Deseret News of Salt Lake City.
Their book chronicled the police and FBI investigation that initially ignored the eyewitness account ofElizabeth Smart's 9-year-old sister, who was able to identify the abductor as a handyman who had worked at the family's home.
The book also delved into Mitchell's disturbing religious beliefs.
"We never talked to Elizabeth about our book," Tom Smart said. "We did not want to tell her story. We want her to tell her story."


text:
Flower Leather Necklace
- Crystal embellishments
- Fabric flower pendant
- Silver-tone logo plaque
- Crafted in Italy
Free30 days Return
- Cash On Delivery Yes
Have A Question?
We're here to help!Check out our FAQ here
|SKU (simple)
|Non-sale item
|Vouchers and discounts cannot be applied to this item.
Length when open: 175cmPENDANT LENGTH: 5cm
Enjoy the flexibility of our free returns policy!
- Luxury category items: you must include an unboxing video prior to your return. Click here to find out how.
- Pre-loved & fine jewellery category items: within 7 days from the date of delivery
- Lifestyle category items: within 15 days from the date of delivery
- All other category items: within 30 days from the date of delivery
- Due to final clearance, hygiene concerns or supplier requests, certain items are non-returnable, non-refundable, and non-exchangeable. Click here to learn more.
Only for returnable Lifestyle category, Fine Jewellery, and Electronic Accessory items, returns are only applicable if the product is in its original packaging, unopened, unused, and with seals and tags intact.
Simply pack the item, with its original packaging and tags, into the ZALORA delivery package and drop off the package at any SingPost counter or POPStation, or opt for our return pick up service instead!
- Any additional items delivered with your order (i.e. product tags, dust bags, branded boxes, and/or gift with purchase) must be returned together for the refund to be processed successfully. For items sold by Sellers, please include the item(s) invoice as well.
- For more details, please visit our FAQs here! Should you have any questions regarding this product, please feel free to get in touch with our friendly Customer Service Team here


text:
Is Cash Flow a Problem in Your Company?
It's a simple question: Do you send monthly statements to customers who have not yet paid their bill? The obvious answer is, Of course we do. Doesn't everyone? Well the answer is, Actually, no; everyone does not send out monthly statements. Before we get into that, though, let's talk about why contractors go out of business. It will set the stage for our discussion on sending statements.
Yes, there are lots of things that can cause a company to fail. However, there are two very specific things that cause most contractors to fail.
Improper labor pricing. The number one reason most contractors go out of business is that they don't know how to price their labor. Most new companies start by charging pretty much what everyone else in town charges. But when a company grows, overhead goes up while pricing stays relatively constant. Before long, the company doubles in size, and now it's losing money. The overhead has increased, but because most contractors don't understand the business side of business, they don't set the proper hourly rate for the actual cost of doing business. For a Grandy & Associates sample worksheet on proper labor pricing, click here.
Cash flow. The second reason most contractors go out of business is that they don't maintain a steady cash flow. Busy and slow times are a reality of the trades industry, which can, to some extent, be modified by an outstanding marketing program. However, if the hourly rate is set properly (taking into account the real billable and nonbillable time and slow times of the year), then it boils down to discipline. When you are busy and making money, you simply build up a cash reserve to use during the slower times. It's a great theory, and it works, if you are collecting your money in a timely manner. However, many contractors do not.
Now back to our original question: Do you send out monthly statements to customers who have not yet paid their bill? Again, the answer is that most companies do not. I continue to be amazed as I talk to contractors during our three-day Basic Business Boot Camp. Many contractors send the original bill, and then simply wait for the customer to pay. Some customers do; many do not. Turn the table around for a moment. Assume you are the customer and you receive an invoice for perhaps $189.50. You get busy and neglect to pay the bill. Next month's bills come in, and you pay them; but you don't pay last month's invoice. You didn't receive a statement as a reminder, so you conveniently forget about it. You figure the contractor will send a statement at some point to remind you, and you'll pay the bill then. However, the statement never comes, and before long you have forgotten about the contractor's invoice altogether.
Now it's wake-up time for the contractor. "Gee, we need cash to pay our bills. Let's send out statements on that $54,000 we have in receivables." You send statements for work that was done six months ago (or longer). What do you think the probability is of getting paid at this point? I'll answer that one—slim to none!
Failure to send monthly statements is a major problem in the trades industry. I know of numerous companies that don't even invoice the customer for 30, 60, 90 days or more! When the normal seasonal dips and valleys come, there is no money in your reserve account, and you're facing cash flow problems that can literally put you out of business!
Statements are great, and you really do need to send them out on a regular basis . . . but that is not the real issue. The real issue is, Why are you invoicing the customer at all? Let's look at some of the specific departments within your business and talk about the way to avoid receivables altogether.
Residential Service
Service is the bread and butter of any trades company. It is somewhat recession proof and should produce the highest net profit of any department within the company. It should also really help your cash flow . . . but only if the right systems are set up. Do not give the residential customer the option of being invoiced. Before the technician is dispatched to the customer's home, the customer service representative should be calling the customer and saying, "Mr. (or Mrs.) Jones, we are ready to dispatch John Doe to your home to perform your repair. We want to be 100% sure someone is home to let John in, and we want to confirm your method of payment. Will you be paying by cash, check, or credit card?" Notice the option of being invoiced was NOT given. If customers say they will pay by credit card, get the information right on the phone, especially if the customer won't be home and will be leaving the door open for the tech. Bingo! the cash is collected. No need to invoice!
Residential Installation
Here again, collections should not be an issue. Although few contractors do it, you should be asking for a deposit up front. The customer actually expects you to ask for a deposit, but if you don't ask for it, you won't get it. What about the balance? Nearly every contractor who gets a deposit on the front end also has an agreement with the customer that the balance will be paid upon completion of the job. A policy like this has wonderful benefits—you get paid on time; no need for invoicing or statements!
I started out by asking if you send statements each month. But in reality, if you have the above policies in place, you get paid; and therefore you will seldom need to send out statements. I am not completely naive. I realize that sometimes invoicing is necessary, even on residential work. The question is, Do you have a collections policy in place? Most contractors do not.
- 1
Enter your comments in the box below:
(Please note that all comments are subject to review prior to posting.)
While we will do our best to monitor all comments and blog posts for accuracy and relevancy, Home Energy is not responsible for content posted by our readers or third parties. Home Energy reserves the right to edit or remove comments or blog posts that do not meet our community guidelines.


text:
OKLAHOMA CITY — Governor Mary Fallin today signed House Bill 1999, a bill ending the prohibition on horse meat processing for export in Oklahoma. Forty-six states, not including Oklahoma, currently allow horsemeat processing.
Governor Fallin released the following statement:
"In Oklahoma – as in other states – abuse is tragically common among horses that are reaching the end of their natural lives. Many horses are abandoned or left to starve to death. Others are shipped out of the country, many to Mexico, where they are processed in potentially inhumane conditions that are not regulated by the U.S. government.
"Unfortunately, the 2006 federal ban on horse processing plants has made this situation worse. After the implementation of that ban, the Government Accountability Office reported a 60 percent increase in abused, neglected and starved horses. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has also noted that over 166,000 horses were sent to Canada and Mexico for processing just in 2012. These animals traveled long distances, in potentially inhumane circumstances, only to meet their end in foreign processing plants that do not face the same level of regulation or scrutiny that American plants would.
"Those of us who care about the wellbeing of horses – and we all should – cannot be satisfied with a status quo that encourages abuse and neglect, or that rewards the potentially inhumane slaughter of animals in foreign countries.
"For that reason, I have today signed HB 1999, which would allow the humane, regulated processing of horses. This bill strictly prohibits selling horse meat for human consumption in Oklahoma.
"My thanks go out to the many horse owners, farmers and ranchers, animal lovers and concerned citizens who have contacted me regarding this issue. I appreciate the willingness of so many individuals and groups to get involved and engage their elected officials. My office diligently worked to ensure input from all sides of the issue was carefully considered during the consideration of this bill. I appreciate and support the efforts of those who have expressed a desire to donate land, money and resources to provide for abandoned horses. I believe the direction pursued by the Oklahoma Legislature, in a bill supported by both Democrats and Republicans and passed by large margins, is both practical and humane."
"There are currently no processing facilities in the state. Should there ever be a processing facility planned, my administration will work with the Department of Agriculture to ensure it is run appropriately, follows all state and local laws, and is not a burden or hazard to the community. It's important to note cities, counties and municipalities still have the ability to express their opposition to processing facilities by blocking their construction and operation at the local level."
HB 1999 goes into effect on November 1, 2013. It was sponsored by Representative Skye McNeil in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senator Eddie Fields in the Senate. The bill passed 82-14 in the House and 32-14 in the Senate.
Friday, March 29, 2013
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
June 7th, 2011
Get Some Sleep: Beware the sleeping pill hangover
Lisa Shives, M.D., is the founder of Northshore Sleep Medicine in Evanston, Illinois. She blogs on Tuesdays on The Chart. Read more from her at Dr. Lisa Shives' Sleep Better Blog.
Henry was 80 years old and "tired all the time." His primary care doc had done a thorough work up. I tested for every sleep disorder known to man and god and found no underlying problem with his sleep quality.
At our initial visit, I had expressed my concern that his hypnotic medication, Clonazepam, could be part of the problem, especially because his dose of 2 mg was rather high for a man his age. He had been reluctant to make any changes to a medication that, from his point of view, had worked so well for him over the years. Now, with all other explanations ruled out, he was ready to try to get off it in order to feel less groggy in the morning.
This is a scenario that is played out every day in my sleep clinic: the medications that we doctors give to help patients sleep end up making them feel tired and groggy the next day.
Clonazepam (Klonopin) is a common culprit. It belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. They have been used as sleeping agents for decades. They have many other uses including the treatment of anxiety, seizure and muscle spasm.
In general, these drugs can be very useful sleep aids, but must be used cautiously because they will often cause dependence, tolerance, withdrawal and rebound insomnia if used long enough on a nightly basis. Dependence is fairly self-explanatory and means that a person cannot sleep without the drug. Tolerance means that that the dosage has to be repeatedly increased to achieve the same affect. It is not the same as addiction but is often confused with it.
They can also cause withdrawal which means the emergence of a new set of symptoms that were not present before using the medication. Common withdrawal symptoms include agitation, nausea, sweating and palpitations.
The benzodiazepines can cause rebound insomnia. Rebound insomnia means insomnia that is worse than it was before a patient started the drug. Typically, it lasts only one or two nights.
The problem with Clonazepam in particular is that it has a very long half life. Therefore, it takes a long time to clear the system and its hypnotic and sedating effects can last well into the next day. There can be withdrawal if stopped abruptly, but it is less likely to cause rebound insomnia when compared to shorter-acting benzos.
Besides daytime sedation, any of the benzodiazepines can cause amnesia, sleepwalking and sleep eating. There are studies showing increased fall risk in the elderly, but there is also research showing that untreated insomnia increases falls. There is definite concern that these medications can have multiple deleterious effects in the elderly including memory and cognition problems. As with most medications, the doses should be lower when patients are elderly or have liver or kidney impairment.
For insomnia treatment, it is better to use benzodiazepines that have a medium half life such as lorazepam or temazepam. They will usually help someone get to sleep and stay asleep most of the night without too much hangover effect the next morning.
As with most prescription sleep aids, I recommend intermittent use so that tolerance and withdrawal might be avoided.
Medications such as zolpidem (Ambien) are called non-benzodiazepines but that is misleading because they act on the same GABA benzodiazepine receptors in the brain. They just don't bind to as many subunits as the traditional benzos which has good and bad effects. One bad effect is that drugs like Ambien have no anti-anxiety properties and most people with insomnia have anxiety either that is fueling the insomnia or as a consequence of the insomnia.
Therefore, if someone has chronic, nightly difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, I recommend CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia). As I have discussed in previous posts, it is the safest treatment and actually the most effective one in the long term.
soundoff (2,309 Responses)
Leave a Reply to rv repair shop
About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.


text:
Don't Panic! The link you clicked on doesn't point to a real volunteer signup sheet.
If you copied the link down from somewhere, please check that you copied it correctly. Ask the person you got it from to check that they have the correct link.
If you don't have a real link and you just made one up, you could instead create a real link by creating an account with VolunteerSignup and creating a signup sheet for your volunteers.


text:
As we are in the midst of the Three Weeks, it is a perfect time to open our hearts and minds to reflect upon what we are commemorating and the lessons to be learned. One of the main reasons the Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed was the unwarranted enmity among the Jews of the times. The uncalled for dissension, the fights, the hatred among them, utterly weakened a people which as long as they were one – as long as they were of one mind, one heart – remained invincible.
Not everyone identifying as a Jew is observant, often one might think that the reasons these non-observant ones may give for being Jewish are not strong enough, just not good enough, too tenuous perhaps. Should one think that way, he or she would be boorishly elitist and has learned little in spite of all the years spent in yeshiva, or in Beis Yaakov. Such a person absorbed almost nothing regardless of all the Tosefos, all the Rashi he can repeat, all the brilliant pilpullim he can come up with, or all the tremendous, selfless chassodim she performs… for her own kind.
Knowledge is far more than just a bookish thing. What made our Sages so great, above all, was their understanding of human nature; only when that understanding was coupled with their devotion to Hakodosh Boruch Hu AND His commandments, when it was coupled with their teaching – the loving spreading of their message – did they rise to a level where we can look back at them and their writings while standing in awe with humbled hearts.
To many the message and teachings of the Sages are mostly unknown and will remain woefully unexplored, a great number regard religion as an outmoded superstitious, too strict discipline that would interfere with their lifestyle… Ah, yes, the reasons for division, distrust and enmity among us Jews are seemingly many and no doubt you, gentle reader, can come up with quite a few more I never thought of.
But are we right? Religious Jew, secular Jew… we are really one and the same. You don't believe me? Ask any antisemite!!!! Why would one who sees no need to adhere to the tenets of our faith, insist on identifying as a Jew? It's got to be more than just his/her Jewish nose or the obvious Jewish looks, or love of chopped liver. What is it then? It's that tiny pintele yid that is still lit in every Jewish heart, in spite of all the tragedies that befell us – as a people – in the last two thousand years. No amount of might could crush it, no amount of killing could extinguish it. I am a devoutly religious Jew, but I recognize not everyone else is, yet I am humbled by the Jew-ishness, by the pintele yid within each of my brothers and sisters no matter how far they may have removed themselves from our most basic beliefs.
Judaism is more than gefilte fish and matzoh balls, it is more than davening three times a day and eating strictly kosher. For anyone whose pintele yid is still burning, being Jewish is life itself! But… how do different people show their Jew-ishness? There are many ways and, ultimately, whether the journey is long or short, whether there are many treacherous curves, or the road is straight, eventually they all lead us to the same destination. Not everyone can tell why he or she is a Jew, often it is merely an unexplained feeling, something stemming from within. Does that mean there are fundamental differences between one kind of Jew and another? The rituals may be different, the food habits may be different, the daily routine may be different, the mode of dress may be different, the interaction with others may be different… yet… we are Jews, ALL! The world at large sees little difference between us. Whether we like to be lumped together, or not, the fact is… we are!
The Jewish Federations of North America (JNFA) is currently running a campaign called "What's Your #ish?" their #ish is to build a strong community. Isn't the lesson of the Three Weeks precisely that, that we have to build a strong community that allows every Jew to reach his or her full JEWISH potential?
At the beginning of Pirkey Avot – Ehtics of the Fathers, right before the First Chapter begins, we are told: "Kol Israel yesh lahem chelek le'olam haba – All Jews have a portion in the world to come." The first Gerer Rebbe, the Sfas Emes, emphasized KOL ISRAEL – ALL JEWS" Does that mean that the meticulous follower of every commandment may actually get the same reward as the Jew who doesn't care?!?!? I will posit here that… yes… and even less!!!! How is that possible? How could I even think, let alone say, something so heretical, if not plainly illogical?!?!? Our Sages teach us that we are, every single one of us, responsible for one another; the world at large certainly thinks that… even if not all of us feel it. Unless we reach out, unless we talk, unless we help out, unless we teach and learn, our portions in the world to come may not be as full…


text:
Morning Jolt: Randy Travis in critical condition
Staff Writer
In the news
The publicist for Randy Travis said the country legend had a stroke and had surgery on Wednesday evening. The hospital later said, "Mr. Randy Travis is out of surgery and in critical condition." The stroke is related to Travis' heart problems, the publicist said.
Gas update
Gasbuddy.com reports that the national average of gas is $3.530. One week ago it was $3.499, and one year ago it was $3.418.
Motivational quote
"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." - John Quincy Adams
Watercooler talk: ESPN 'Body' preview
A look at some of the athletes featured in ESPN's 2013 "Body" issue.
More Content Now


text:
Intelligence Analysis: A Crash Course
Intelligence Analysis: A Crash Course
Special Topic PHI 579, Fall 2019
- Class#: 24032 (PHI)
Instructors: Barry Smith, David Limbaugh
Prerequisites: Open to all persons with an undergraduate degree.
Office hours: By appointment via email at firstname.lastname@example.com or email@example.com
The Course
Course Description: This course will provide an introduction to intelligence analysis, covering both the practical and the theoretical aspects of the intelligence process. We will cover a range of topics including: the nature and goals of intelligence analysis; the cognitive processes involved; the different types of evidence used; analytical reasoning; the role of AI and other forms of computer support to intelligence analysis.
Course Structure: This is a three credit hour graduate seminar, with a practical exercise forming part of each class. The final session will be structured around youtube videos created by the students in the class. Students will be trained in the basic tools and methods of intelligence analysis, and will also receive an insight into the overall context into which intellligence analysis fits.
Target Audience: The course is open to all interested students, and will presuppose no knowledge of philosophy or of intelligence analysis.
Intelligence Analysis in Buffalo: UB scientists are involved in a variety of projects in which intelligence analysis plays a role, and some of the intelligence community collaborators in these projects will be involved in the teaching.
August 26: Introduction: Will World War 3 be fought on the internet?
Will the World War 3 be fought on the internet?
An Introduction to the Joint Doctrine Ontology
September 9: Ontology and the Intelligence Process
Will feature presentation by COL William Mandrick, PhD on
The Intelligence Process
Background reading: Joint Intelligence
September 16: An Introduction to Basic Formal Ontology
September 23: Object-Based Production and Referent Tracking
- Introduction to Object-Based Production
- Agent-Based Intelligence and the philosophy of action
Werner Ceusters, Shahid Manzoor, "How to track absolutely everything", Ontologies and Semantic Technologies for the Intelligence Community (Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and Applications), 2010, 13-36.
September 30: Enhanced Object-Based Production
- RDF triples and Linked Open Data
- Tracking change and tracking errors
Frederik Stjernfelt, "The ontology of espionage in reality and fiction", Sign Systems Studies, 31:1 (2003), 133-161
Werner Ceusters and Barry Smith, "Aboutness: Towards Foundations for the Information Artifact Ontology", Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Biomedical Ontology (ICBO). CEUR vol. 1515. pp. 1-5 (2015).
October 7: Joint Doctrine Ontology
Peter Morosoff, Ron Rudnicki, Jason Bryant, Robert Farrell, Barry Smith, "Joint Doctrine Ontology: A Benchmark for Military Information Systems Interoperability", Semantic Technology for Intelligence, Defense and Security (STIDS), 2015, CEUR vol. 1523, 2-9.
- Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
- P. Morossof et al., "Joint Doctrine Ontology: A Benchmark for Military Information Systems Interoperability" (2015)
October 14: Meaningful AI vs. Deep Learning
Jobst Landgrebe and Barry Smith, "Making AI Meaningful Again", arXiv, 2019.
Jobst Landgrebe and Barry Smith, "Why Turing machines cannot pass the Turing test", arXiv, 2019.
October 21: Ontology of Terrorism
- R. R. Larsen and J. Hastings, "From Affective Science to Psychiatric Disorder: Ontology as a Semantic Bridge" (2018)
October 28: Ontology of Documents
From Speech Acts to Document Acts
"IAO-Intel: An Ontology of Information Artifacts in the Intelligence Domain", Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Semantic Technologies for Intelligence, Defense, and Security, Fairfax, VA (STIDS 2013), 33-40.
November 4: Ontology of Normative Entities
Deontic Entities in Basic Formal Ontology
November 11: Capabilities / Deep Learning
Overview of machine learning and other approaches to the exploitation of Big Data
November 18: Semantics for the Intelligence Analyst / The Information Ontology
Semantics for the Intelligence Analyst
The Information Ontology
- Reading:
- Werner Ceusters and Barry Smith, "Aboutness: Towards Foundations for the Information Artifact Ontology", Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Biomedical Ontology (ICBO). CEUR vol. 1515. pp. 1-5 (2015).
November 25: Ontology and Data Fusion
James Llinas: An Introduction to Information Fusion
December 2: Student Projects
1:00 Visiting speaker from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab
1:45 Alec Sculley
2:00 Elizabeth Barnes
2:15 Alex Bernstein: An Ontology of Tenets and Paradigms
2:30 Kiernan Johnson
2:45 Eric Merrell
3:00 Gloria Sanso: Criminal Organization Ontology
3:15 Yifan Wang: Place Name Resolution
3:30 Wugetemole: Personal Name Ontology
3:45 Yusheng Xia: Ontology of the Magic System in Web Novels
Joint Intelligence (to be read in advance of COL Mandrick class on September 9)
Robert Arp, Barry Smith and Andrew Spear, Building Ontologies with Basic Formal Ontology, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, August 2015.
Barry Smith, Tatiana Malyuta, David Salmen, William Mandrick, Kesny Parent, Shouvik Bardhan, Jamie Johnson, "Ontology for the Intelligence Analyst", CrossTalk: The Journal of Defense Software Engineering, November/December 2012, 18-25.
Terry Janssen, Herbert Basik, Mike Dean, Barry Smith, "A Multi-INT Semantic Reasoning Framework for Intelligence Analysis Support", in: L. Obrst, T. Janssen, W. Ceusters (eds.), Ontologies and Semantic Technologies for the Intelligence Community (Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and Applications), Amsterdam: IOS Press, 2010, 57-69.
David Salmen, Tatiana Malyuta, Alan Hansen, Shaun Cronen, Barry Smith, Integration of Intelligence Data through Semantic Enhancement", Proceedings of the Conference on Semantic Technology in Intelligence, Defense and Security (STIDS), George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, November 16-17, 2011, CEUR, Vol. 808, 6-13.
Barry Smith, Tatiana Malyuta, William S. Mandrick, Chia Fu, Kesny Parent, Milan Patel, "http://ontology.buffalo.edu/smith/articles/Horizontal-integration.pdf Horizontal Integration of Warfighter Intelligence Data. A Shared Semantic Resource for the Intelligence Community]", Proceedings of the Conference on Semantic Technology in Intelligence, Defense and Security (STIDS), George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, October 23-25, 2012, CEUR 996, 112-119.
Student Learning Outcomes
|Program Outcomes/Competencies
|Instructional Method(s)
|Assessment Method(s)
|The student will acquire a knowledge of the principles and procedures of intelligence analysis, and an insight into the philosophical methods and theories relevant thereto. The student will also acquire a familiarity with current theoretical research in areas relating to intelligence analysis.
|Lectures and class discussions
|Review of reading matter and associated online content and participation in class discussions
|The student will acquire experience in practical tasks involved in intelligence analysis
|Participation in practical experiments
|Review of results
|The student will acquire experience in communicating the results of work on intelligence analysis and its philosophical understanding
|Creation of youtube presentation and of associated documentation
|Review of results
How to Write an Essay
Jordan Peterson's Essay Writing Guide
Important Dates
|Sep 20
|- about now start to discuss by email the content of your video and essay with Drs Smith and Limbaugh
|Sep 28
|- submit a proposed title and abstract
|Oct 31
|- submit a table of contents and 300 word summary plus draft of associated ppt slides
|Nov 20
|- submit penultimate draft of essay and powerpoint
|- class presentation
|Dec 4
|- submit final version of essay and powerpoint and upload final version of video to youtube
Grading will be based on two factors:
I: understanding and criticism of the material presented in classes 1-13
All students are required to take an active part in class (and where relevant on-line) discussions throughout the semester.
II: preparation of a youtube video and associated documentation (including powerpoint slides and essay).
Content and structure of the essay should be discussed with Drs Smith or Limbaugh. Where the essay takes the form of the documentation of a specific ontology developed by the student it should include:
- Statement of scope of the ontology
- Summary of existing ontologies in the relevant domain
- Explanation of how your ontology differs from (or incorporates) these ontologies
- Screenshots of parts of the ontology with some examples of important terms and definitions
- Summaries of potential applications of the ontology
Grading Policy: Grading follows standard Graduate School policies. Grades will be weighted according to the following breakdown:
Weighting Assignment
- 40% - class discussions
- 20% - youtube video presentation
- 20% - powerpoint slides
- 20% - essay / ontology content
Final Grades
Percentages refer to sum of assignment grades as listed above
Grade Quality Percentage
|90.0% -100.00%
|87.0% - 89.9%
|84.0% - 86.9%
|80.0% - 83.9%
|77.0% - 79.9%
|74.0% - 76.9%
|71.0% - 73.9%
|68.0% - 70.9%
|65.0% - 67.9%
|62.0% - 64.9%
|61.9% or below
An interim grade of Incomplete (I) may be assigned if the student has not completed all requirements for the course. An interim grade of 'I' shall not be assigned to a student who did not attend the course. The default grade accompanying an interim grade of 'I' shall be 'U' and will be displayed on the UB record as 'IU.' The default Unsatisfactory (U) grade shall become the permanent course grade of record if the 'IU' is not changed through formal notice by the instructor upon the student's completion of the course.
Assignment of an interim 'IU' is at the discretion of the instructor. A grade of 'IU' can be assigned only if successful completion of unfulfilled course requirements can result in a final grade better than the default 'U' grade. The student should have a passing average in the requirements already completed. The instructor shall provide the student specification, in writing, of the requirements to be fulfilled.
The university's Graduate Incomplete Policy can be found here.
Related Policies and Services
Academic integrity is a fundamental university value. Through the honest completion of academic work, students sustain the integrity of the university while facilitating the university's imperative for the transmission of knowledge and culture based upon the generation of new and innovative ideas. See http://grad.buffalo.edu/Academics/Policies-Procedures/Academic-Integrity.html.
Accessibility resources: If you have any disability which requires reasonable accommodations to enable you to participate in this course, please contact the Office of Accessibility Resources in 60 Capen Hall, 645-2608 and also the instructor of this course during the first week of class. The office will provide you with information and review appropriate arrangements for reasonable accommodations, which can be found on the web here.